The NBA released its annual GM survey this week, and it’s filled with the usual groupthink. A lot of voting is based on the past, rather than projecting forward.
There will be regrettable answers. I’ll always remember the 2013 survey when 25% of the GMs voted for the Nets in the category of best offseason moves. That same summer, the Nets made arguably the worst trade in NBA history by mortgaging their future for Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett.
I figured if the NBA’s top decision makers could be this wrong, so can a beat reporter.
So with that, I bring you the Bondy Survey of the 2023-24 Knicks, who I’ll have the pleasure of covering for The Post (keep in mind this survey only includes the top 10 players in the rotation):
Most athletic
Obi Toppin, the reigning champion in this category, departed via trade, but his successor is obvious: Jericho Sims. He’s built like a tank, rarely speaks and owns a 45-inch vertical. It didn’t take long for newest Knick Donte DiVincenzo to accurately, and succinctly, peg his teammate: “He’s quiet and he can jump out of the gym.”
Least athletic
Jalen Brunson can dunk. It has happened. But it doesn’t happen often. Brunson is strong and quick, but neither fast nor explosive. His best defensive move is standing in the driving lane for a charge. It’s interesting that the least athletic player is also the team’s best player.
Strongest player
Physical strength is an asset throughout the Knicks roster, with RJ Barrett, Mitchell Robinson, Josh Hart and Isaiah Hartenstein getting heavy minutes. But the winner here is Julius Randle. He’s a bull. Two hundred fifty pounds of muscle.
Most overrated
Josh Hart provided quite a jolt to the Knicks last season, arriving in February and immediately pushing them on a winning streak. A ball of energy and an elite offensive rebounder for a wing, Hart was rewarded in August with an $81 million extension. But placing too much stock in his full-season return is a mistake. The efficiency is bound to fall off. Hart’s a career 35% shooter on 3s and defenses are comfortable leaving him wide open.
Most underrated
I understand Robinson’s bi-monthly grumpings over his role. It’s thankless. He rebounds. He dunks. He deters driving from the opposition. He absorbs non-stop contact. All this is imperative to Tom Thibodeau’s game plan, and few in the NBA could pull it off better than the 7-foot-1 Robinson. Quentin Grimes is runner-up.
Best handles
Easy. Brunson. He’s not Kyrie Irving or James Harden, but Brunson has full control with the rock. He finds the angles and keeps the ball on a string.
Best shooter
As a pure spot-up shooter, it’s probably Evan Fournier. Off the dribble, Brunson gets the nod. DiVincenzo and Immanuel Quickley are close behind those two.
Worst shooter
This is another two-candidate race. Neither Robinson nor Sims dare look at the rim if they’re outside the restricted area. Their career free-throw percentages tell the story: 53.3% for Sims, 52.9% for Robinson. I think there’s more possibility for improvement from Sims.
Best defender
Tough call, but Hart squeaks by Grimes in this category. They’re both tenacious on-ball defenders, but Hart, with his six years of NBA experience, has better instincts.
Worst defender
We’ll go with Randle. For Brunson, the defensive struggles are mostly about the lack of size and athleticism. He tries hard. Randle is a great defensive rebounder, but doesn’t put much effort into anything else on that side of the ball.
Toughest player
Hartenstein has never seen a rebound or a loose ball not worth a full body self-sacrifice. He gets banged up throughout his minutes, yet managed to play all 82 games last season.
Softest player
I’ll pass on labeling a player that I’m covering as soft. Not going to happen. I’ll just tell you that it’s not Hartenstein, Hart, Grimes, Randle or Brunson.
Biggest jump from last season
It’s going to be Grimes. He has a higher ceiling as a playmaker, and, unlike the rest of the rotation players, doesn’t have multiple years left on his contract. Assuming Quickley signs a multi-year extension before the regular-season opener, the entire Knicks rotation will be on guaranteed deals until at least 2026. Except Grimes. He’s eligible for an extension after the season.
Biggest dropoff from last season
The Randle roller coaster will continue. Seasons that start with an odd year have been bad for the two-time All-Star in New York, and now he’s coming off ankle surgery (albeit minor) and a disappointing playoffs. He won’t replicate the All-NBA performance.
Want to catch a game? You can find tickets for all upcoming Knicks games here.
The price of fashion
I understand if you forget the Squarespace patch on the Knicks uniform from a couple years ago. It was an eyesore. Large and obnoxious. A reminder that you’re also rooting for a corporation.
It makes me appreciate the current Knicks jerseys, devoid of any commercial patches on the left shoulder. The Knicks were one of just four NBA teams last season — along with the Grizzlies, Blazers and Wizards — without a jersey sponsor.
The Knicks should keep it that way. And Fournier agrees.
“Not having a sponsor is awesome,” Fournier said. “Because it’s the Knicks. It’s a huge brand. I think anything else is a distraction.
“You have the NBA logo. You have the Nike [swoosh]. And that should be it.”
Unfortunately, this isn’t a fashion choice from the Knicks. They’re simply waiting for a buyer to meet the astronomical price, according to the Sports Business Journal, which reported in February that MSG is targeting a $30 million-per-year deal for the 2 ½ x 2 ½ inch uniform space.
Squarespace reportedly paid half that amount.
I asked Randle what he thinks about being patch-less.
“You have to ask the boss man, bro,” Randle said.
Perhaps Randle is on to something. James Dolan, according to a source, was behind the decision two seasons ago to remove the “classic” white jerseys from the team’s rotation. He cares about presentation and appearance.
But Dolan doesn’t talk to Knicks media.
“I wonder why,” Randle said sarcastically.
Oh well, maybe Dolan subscribes to Post Sports+.
McBride aims for more
If you enjoy rooting for the good guys, Miles McBride is worthy of the support.
A bulldog on the court. A cheerful personality off it.
Unfortunately, the 23-year-old doesn’t have a clear path to playing time on a roster stacked with guards. He’s behind at least four others in the backcourt rotation.
Just don’t tell that to McBride.
“I feel like the way I play, I’m going to create an opportunity for myself,” he told The Post.
Defense should get McBride on the court at some point. And injuries happen. But one area that requires improvement is shot-making. Last season’s averages (35.8% overall and 29.9% from beyond the arc) make it difficult to justify extended minutes.
McBride said he continued to work on his 3-ball in the summer. He trained in Australia while visiting his older brother, Trey, who plays professionally in the land Down Under.
“It’s definitely different there. Just the way they approach the game,” McBride said. “They practice like it’s always real games. And they pack the paint — and I think playing against that kind of reminds me of college.”
And, oh yeah…
“They definitely foul hard,” McBride said.
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